Friday, March 21, 2008

Good Friday Day Trip

Every year we say that we want to go somewhere on a 'real' vacation during Easter break here. You know, to take advantage of the fact that we live in Europe! Well, this year because of the crazy dollar and the crazy weather, we decided to take a day trip. We had heard from a few people of the hidden town of Castelluccio on the border between Umbria and Le Marche. It is situated on the top of a hill in the middle of a plain nestled in a valley at the top of the Sibillini Mountains about a 2 hour drive from Ancona. Well, we borrowed the Rotert GPS, loaded up the car and headed out. We got within 6 miles of the town, at the very top of the mountain range, surrounded by snow and within sight of Italy's 3rd tallest peak (Monte Vettore) when we decided to turn around. The roads were beginning to be covered with ice and snow and I hadn't thought to bring the snow chains. Grrr. So we slowly wound back down and found a wonderful place to eat some lunch and then we explored the nearby town of Acquasanta and the hot sulfur spring from which the town gets its name (Holy Water). As we drove home this afternoon, the storm clouds began pouring fresh snow and rain down and we were glad we just made a day trip of it. Happy Easter weekend to everyone. May the risen Christ continue to lead you into the fullest possible life!

Jacob enjoying the snow and just looking older...

Harrison, Jacob and Haven at a frozen watering trough.

Heather and the kids sitting next to the hot, stinky, sulfur spring as itpours out of the side of the mountain...all four with plugged noses.

Harrison offers his mommy a flower.

I froze the color of the spring as it pours into the Fiume Trontoto show the difference in temperature...a beautiful shade of blue.

The Sunken Church

This blog follows the life, ministry and adventures of the Casey family. We were missionaries in Ancona, Italy from 2000 until 2011. We are now adventuring in the US of A, experimenting with running a business, growing a garden, raising a family and challenging the Church to break outside the box and adopt new forms to reach a new generation with the truth of the Gospel.

di Ancona

About Me

Born in Santiago, Chile I have grown up on the move - lived in some 15 different homes. I am a 'word' person - enjoying almost anything to do with books and literature. I love exploring God's great world and helping people find their place in it.

sunken

The story goes like this:

There once was a church down by the port in Ancona, Italy. With the passing of time, shaken by earthquakes and beaten by the winds, the foundations of the church crumbled and the church toppled into the sea. A friend of ours shared with us that she remembers, as a little girl, playing along the pier and seeing the remains of the church under the water. She remembers seeing the cross from the top of the church under the surface. She told us that some say that if the wind was strong enough and the waves choppy enough, you could even hear the bells...

The story leads to this question:

If we were to raise her out of the water, if we were to restore her completely to what she was originally intended to be...what would she look like? If we were to remove her from all the traditions that humankind has surrounded her with and drowned her in...who would she be?